Battle of Nowa Deba

The Battle of Nowa Deba was fought in 1916 between the Imperial Russian Army and the combined Central Powers army of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria during the Eastern Front of World War I. The result was the Central Powers' capture of the town of Nowa Deba from the Russians amid a winning streak.

Battle
As the Imperial Russian Army suffered defeats on the East Prussian and Carpathian fronts, the Central Powers pressed their advantage in Poland, attacking the Russian-held town of Nowa Deba. The Central forces consisted of five Imperial German Army regiments, two Bulgarian regiments, and one Austro-Hungarian Army regiment (Infanterie-Regiment Graf Clerfayt No. 9), while they faced six regular Russian regiments (frontniks) and two cossack regiments.

The battle saw the Central forces overrun the town, which the Russian regulars struggled to hold; on the southern flank, however, the Cossacks picked off scores of advancing Central Powers troops as they attempted to advance through the town's southern outskirts. The Cossacks inflicted heavy losses on the Central soldiers, but, on all other fronts, the frontniks were unable to hold back the German, Bulgarian, and Austro-Hungarian troops. Ultimately, the Russian army was forced to withdraw, and Nowa Deba fell into Central Powers hands.